Part of what makes Changemakers 365 so powerful is the ability to do something amazing for someone else – in the moment. As soon as an idea comes to mind. That’s what this project is all about. And that’s just what happened with Lomoro, who we first met on Day 17. So we decided to make Day 28 all about him – about making his dream just a little closer to reality.
Lomoro is a carpenter. He’s also a refugee from South Sudan who fled to Bidi Bidi Refugee Settlement in Uganda. “Us South Sudanese refugees, we’ve been everywhere running up and down,” he said. “This is now my second time coming back to Uganda as a refugee. With my knowledge of carpentry, I was planning to build my business in South Sudan, but we had to run to the bush. What I planned I failed completely because of these rebels in South Sudan.”
When the ARC team first saw the holes in the roof at the Ariwa Health Center, they asked if there was a carpenter nearby. Before long, Lomoro was there with his tape measure out, reviewing the measurements of the roof. “It’s no problem for me,” he said. “I can build even a whole house. It’s my profession for more than 15 years.”
Lomoro showed us exactly what so often is overlooked – that refugees themselves are often the greatest tool in helping other refugees. As soon as we needed a carpenter, Lomoro was there. “I’m really happy God gave me the chance to get this job because when you come as a refugee to a new country, you cannot know how you will survive. We have some burden, we aren’t able to buy anything. You feel it really badly. Now I have money to feed my children a balanced diet, to have some to save for medication for them.”
Once Paul, ARC’s Site Manager in Bidi Bidi, heard his story, he saw an opportunity to invest in a community asset and add another leader to the ARC team. Paul found tools like a hammer, hand saw, and tape measure, and outfitted Lomoro with the kind of tools he had to leave behind in South Sudan. “It’s a livelihood support for him,” Paul said.
Now, after repairing the ceiling in the Ariwa Health Center, Lomoro is leading the construction team in putting up the shelters for ARC’s volunteers. With just a few simple tools and some encouragement from the ARC team, he’s getting back to what he does best. And rebuilding his future along the way.
Tomorrow, we’ll get back to the ARC’s protection center, getting the things we need to sit comfortably with those who come seeking our support.
